In a significant legislative move, the House of Representatives recently voted in favor of expanding the Congressional Review Act to revoke a broad spectrum of regulations implemented in the last year of the Biden administration.
According to The Hill, the enhanced legislation allows Congress to consolidate and potentially overturn various regulations encompassing environmental protections and workers' rights.
The Congressional Review Act previously permitted Congress to review regulations going back six months into the final term of an administration. The newly passed bill, named the Midnight Rules Relief Act, extends this review period to encompass the full final year of a president's term.
The vote on Wednesday ended with a narrow margin of 212-208. In a notable departure from party lines, Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, opposed their respective parties' stances.
The close vote reflects the contentious nature of the bill. House Democratic leadership had advised members to vote against the legislation, arguing that it undermines detailed scrutiny of diverse regulatory measures.
The Midnight Rules Relief Act aims to streamline the process of repealing regulations that cover a vast array of issues from anti-money laundering measures to methane limits in the oil and gas industry. This extensive reach prompted criticism from some members of Congress who fear it allows for too broad an overturning of important protections.
Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona reintroduced the measure on January 13, emphasizing its importance right before former President Trump’s inauguration. The bill targets regulations not only made in haste at the end of Biden's tenure but throughout the final year, significantly broadening the scope of potential reversals.
Democrats have voiced concerns about the implications of such a sweeping reversal of regulations. Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland criticized the all-encompassing nature of the bill, stating it could lump together diverse regulations—up to 355 major ones—and overturn them in a single swoop. He highlighted that such a process could undermine nuanced governance.
Raskin also critiqued the method as a "moronic way to govern," suggesting it paves the path for political manipulation. Meanwhile, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts argued that each regulation should individually be accounted for to avoid the dangers of blanket revocations that could protect Americans from various harms.
On the other side, Representative Kevin Kiley of California supported the bill, mentioning that many regulations were imposed without sufficient debate or input from the legislative branch. This act, according to Kiley, restores Congress's authority in governance and policymaking.
Biggs echoed this sentiment by accusing Democrats of preferring governance by bureaucrats rather than elected officials, framing the bill as a necessary step to restore balance and oversight in federal governance.
The legislation had made it through the House in December during the 118th Congress with a similar narrow margin but was stalled in the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats. Its future now depends on whether it will gain traction in the Senate with the current composition.
The debates and votes surrounding the Midnight Rules Relief Act underscore the ongoing struggle between legislative and executive powers in U.S. governance, particularly in the context of regulatory affairs.
As the bill moves to the Senate, stakeholders from various sectors are closely watching the developments, understanding that the outcome could significantly impact the regulatory framework affecting everything from environmental policies to public health and safety.